TransAm Day #36 Walden, CO - Saratoga, WY
TransAm Day #36
June 30, 2018
Walden, CO - Saratoga, WY
70 Miles
Ride Time 6:21 Hours
Tour Total Miles 2626
Last night I pitched my tent in Walden City Park with about fifteen other cyclists. There was a westbound ACA unsupported group, and numerous others. I met a German woman and another couple who were traveling east. They gave me some good tips for Wyoming and Montana.
There were showers at the nearby swimming pool, and a clean bathhouse. Walden has several nice restaurants and bars. We went to All Smoked Up BBQ, located in an old bank building. We then brought our food across the street to Stockman’s bar. Back in the old days, the saloon in Walden had a front door large enough for cowboys to ride in on their horses. Unfortunately this bar no longer exists. I would like to see a bar where cyclists could ride their bikes through the front door.
There were tons of mosquitoes in the park, and the temperature went down to 37 degrees. I had on all of my clothing except for my rain pants and arm warmers. I used my extension cord to once again run power into my tent. I couldn’t finish one of my Stella tall boys last night, so it ended up in my rear pannier. It was more weight, but additional liquid if I needed it.
Today is the last day of June, and my final day in Colorado. I have enjoyed and am thankful for both. There were no services on the route for the first 43 miles, and it was important to fuel up before leaving Walden. Moose Creek Cafe didn’t open until seven, which signaled a 9am departure. Before departing Walden, I met cyclists Erin and Rachel, and their dog River, whom Erin was hauling in a trailer. River was a really sweet dog, and the second one I’ve seen on tour.
The morning ride was cold. I had to pull over and put on my sweater and down vest. There was a slight crosswind and the air was chilly. I rode up a wide valley with far away hills and mountains, all filled with scrub. The forecast had promised tailwinds after Dean Peak Pass but instead I got strong headwinds with cold air. The weather forecast had been from three hours prior. Now I know why there’s a disclaimer on the weather app.
In Missouri and Kansas I began noticing ranch gates, but here in Colorado they’re colossal. They’re made out of large pieces of timber almost two feet in diameter. The arches are 30 feet off the ground. While not quite Arcs des Triomphes, they are nonetheless bold and impressive.
I could see the Wyoming border sign from about a mile away. Scott got there ahead of me, and there were three ACA cyclists as well. The plan was to do a quick photo shoot and move on. Dark storm clouds were on the horizon. The ACA people had their bikes leaning against the sign and a woman was rearranging her panniers as if no one else needed to get in there. I love Adventure Cycling Association. They have fantastic maps, do great advocacy, and offer wonderful opportunities for cyclists. But what the hell is the matter with the people who take their tours? Why should I be held up twenty minutes because of one of these knuckleheads? As soon as they left, a motorist pulled in for their photo op. Precious time was being waisted. Finally, Scott did cartwheels, Eileen flashed her boobs, and I posed in the buff. The wind was so strong that my map unfurled and blew away. I had to run quickly, and was lucky to have retrieved it. Despite our efforts with the photo shoot, it was not a warm welcome to Wyoming.
The dark storm clouds were ominous. I put on more and more clothing until I had none left. Unlike Kansas, where there had been an adjacent railroad line with culverts and ditches for cover in a bad storm, here there was nothing. I started looking for a shelter, and spotted a ranch far in the distance. When I got to the gate of the Big Creek Ranch, I noticed a hay barn not far from the road. The gate was open, and I rolled down the hill to the barn. As I approached, I noticed other touring bikes inside. The ACA group was there weathering out the storm. I tried to be friendly with these people, but there was a weird dynamic. Scott and Eileen caught up, and we set up Scott’s tent to climb inside and get warm. I opened my Stella tall boy, which one of the ACA cyclists knocked over while I was helping erect the tent.
The ACA group had worked out a deal with the rancher to take them to Saratoga in his livestock trailer. I pointed out to them that by being driven forty miles, they would be creating a gap in their tour. They wouldn’t be able to claim that they had biked the entire TransAm.
After about an hour, the storm passed and I was back on the road. It warmed up a little, and some of my clothing went back into my panniers. It was still windy and miserable. While at one point passing Eileen, my panniers bumped into hers. I lost my balance and couldn’t get my shoe out of the clip. I went down into the ditch and skinned my knee. At long last I approached the small town of Riverside, population 52. There were prairie dogs everywhere.
We ate a late lunch at the Bear Trap Cafe. It was a nice place with good food. Our server was from Saratoga, and she promised that the hot springs were open 24/7 and it was free. This was the carrot we needed to pedal those last twenty miles.
Wyoming is like Northwest Colorado on steroids. Everything here is big. Coming into Saratoga I was pelted with thousands of small flying insects. Scott and I stopped at a grocery store to wait for Eileen to catch up. There I met South Korean cyclist Shawn, who was riding from Vancouver to Halifax.
The grocery store was like no other I had ever seen. There were animal trophies and skins on every wall above the produce. A stuffed grizzly bear was perched in a glass case near the check out counter. The nice lady told me that all the dead stuffed animals had been donated.
It was Togie Days in Saratoga and there was a large street festival. Bands were playing and the town was packed. The four of us rode to a Episcopal church guest house we had found through Warm Showers. As soon as our gear was unpacked, we pedaled over to the hot healing sulphur springs. Under the stars I soaked my tired bones with about twenty locals. The waitress from the Bear Trap Cafe even showed up.
Later we went to the Rustic Bar for a genuine Wyoming nightlife experience. It was jam-packed, and people were smoking, playing pool, and dancing to live music. Behind the bar was a ginormous glass case diorama of two wild cats that would rival any display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
We met Kendal, her boyfriend, and her boyfriend’s mom. The three of them were from the small town of Baggs, about an hour’s drive over the mountain. They were in Saratoga for Togie days, and were interested in our trip. Kendal got us all on the dance floor and we had a good first evening in Wyoming.
Excelent report,neosporrin for knee.
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